MGM Names Rola Bauer President of International Television Productions

She will report directly to Mark Burnett

Rola Bauer
Courtesy of MGM

MGM has hired Studiocanal TV vet Rola Bauer as president of international television productions.

In her new role, the award-winning producer will oversee development, production and co-productions for MGM’s international television scripted content for international markets around the world, reporting directly to MGM Television Group chairman Mark Burnett.

Bauer is based in Munich, she will split her time between MGM’s European and US offices.

“Rola is an important member of the scripted creative community with exceptional taste in material and deep long-term relationships with many talented creators, directors and actors across Global television,” Burnett said. “We are thrilled to continue building on our successful line-up of programming with Rola, while tapping into new markets and audiences and further expanding our international growth. Rola will be leading that growth. I’m thrilled to get to work with her.”

“Mark Burnett has passionately created iconic productions and successfully built companies, which I have always admired,” Bauer added. “He, along with the leadership at the studio, share a vision to further strengthen the iconic MGM brand internationally, which was very inspiring for me to hear. Am honored and excited to have this chance to be a part of it, and to work with the impressive MGM and Epix teams to create synergies across the companies. As the world changes and our industry continues to evolve, MGM will build a bridge with co-production partnerships to further expand on the studio’s ongoing successful global growth.”

A managing director at Studiocanal and founding partner for Tandem, Bauer said earlier this month she would be exiting both roles after Studiocanal acquired a 100% stake in its German subsidiary, Tandem Productions, which was founded by Bauer in 1999.

Bauer oversaw premium scripted content for Studiocanal ProdCos, including the series “Years and Years,” and “War of the Worlds,” while also leading acquisitions for “Midnight Sun,” “The Last Panthers,” and “Below the Surface.” In terms of international co-production and distribution, Bauer handled the highly anticipated “ZeroZeroZero,” as well as Harlan Coben’s “SAFE.”

She began her career at Alliance Communications where she rose to the role of president of their subsidiary Alliance International TV, managing several international offices out of its Paris headquarters. She later moved to Munich to work as a buyer at ProSieben TV Network, where she oversaw their international series and co-productions efforts.

Bauer has also executive produced English language series “The Pillars of The Earth,” “Crossing Lines,” “Take Two,” and the upcoming “The Man who Fell to Earth.”

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